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“The Healing Power Of Friendship”
Many people find true friendship in someone – a relationship that withstands bad times and good times, stormy days and sunny days, abundance and drought, and even ride out “disasters”. Others find “friends” that simply get them through the daily monotonous routine of life, a kind of relationship that’s conditional. Yet there are also those who find lasting bonds that go beyond “extraordinary”, the kind that’s kept to the grave.
No matter what type of friendship you have found for yourself, it’s undeniable that a person needs a friend in one way or another. When English poet John Donne wrote, “no man is an island”, he probably had a good perception of how people can be –and he was right. In a hectic world like today’s, people have become more “socially isolated” than ever before. There’s a new kind of loneliness that has surfaced, and it’s been hidden behind the so-called “self-reliance” justification.
Healing loneliness with friendship
Loneliness in people can be rather dreaded, and so many hide behind describing themselves as “self-sufficient” or “independent”. Disconnecting oneself from people may have lots of reasons, but it also has lots of effects. For one, loneliness is an emotion faceted by the physical body, and its effects are on one’s health. Unconsciously, having close friends is said to help keep the immune system “strong” during stressful times. Studies have also shown, that people with friends and family survive health problems better and live longer, compared to people who have been loners all their life.
The healing power of friendship on loneliness can also be viewed on a different angle. Take for instance, the loss of a love one. It can be very shattering, but it can be endurable if you had a friend to turn to, cry on, and share the sorrow. Simply talking with a friend about problems can lift-away the sadness and make it more bearable. Sharing your emotions with a friend, whether happy or unhappy, gives you a way of expressing yourself and lightening up the feeling. So in more ways than one, having a friend actually heals you mentally, emotionally, and physically, without even knowing it.
The most affordable medicine
The payoff of having friends are countless, and is perhaps the most affordable medicine you can ever have. Studies have documented the positive benefits of having social ties on one’s physical well-being and longevity. It has been said that strong social ties in men resulted to 82% lower risk from heart disease compared to those socially isolated. It has even been a contributor to looking young, as people with good social relationships enjoy better health and improved cognitive functioning.
Nurturing friendships
Nurturing existing friendships and cultivating new ones are ways to not only increase enjoyment of life, but also to improve one’s health and “lifespan”. Preserving the good relationships you have built with friends and further caring for it will be your ticket to life’s meaningful days. On the other hand, cultivating new relationships with people will open up wonderful opportunities to redevelop the person in you. Make an effort to restore or create stronger ties with families, even those living across the country.
“As you sow, so shall you reap” –this can be a good saying that you can keep in mind when thinking about friendship. There’s never a bad time or a wrong place to find new friends or nurture old ones. Regardless of everything else that’s going on in your life, always find the time to reconnect and rekindle good relationships. Always remind yourself that for every ounce of friendship you give out, it’ll come back tenfold.
Most of all, never underestimate the healing power of friendship in your life. Smile and be thankful for wonderful friends you’ve found, and be open to building new relationships with people you meet.
No matter what type of friendship you have found for yourself, it’s undeniable that a person needs a friend in one way or another. When English poet John Donne wrote, “no man is an island”, he probably had a good perception of how people can be –and he was right. In a hectic world like today’s, people have become more “socially isolated” than ever before. There’s a new kind of loneliness that has surfaced, and it’s been hidden behind the so-called “self-reliance” justification.
Healing loneliness with friendship
Loneliness in people can be rather dreaded, and so many hide behind describing themselves as “self-sufficient” or “independent”. Disconnecting oneself from people may have lots of reasons, but it also has lots of effects. For one, loneliness is an emotion faceted by the physical body, and its effects are on one’s health. Unconsciously, having close friends is said to help keep the immune system “strong” during stressful times. Studies have also shown, that people with friends and family survive health problems better and live longer, compared to people who have been loners all their life.
The healing power of friendship on loneliness can also be viewed on a different angle. Take for instance, the loss of a love one. It can be very shattering, but it can be endurable if you had a friend to turn to, cry on, and share the sorrow. Simply talking with a friend about problems can lift-away the sadness and make it more bearable. Sharing your emotions with a friend, whether happy or unhappy, gives you a way of expressing yourself and lightening up the feeling. So in more ways than one, having a friend actually heals you mentally, emotionally, and physically, without even knowing it.
The most affordable medicine
The payoff of having friends are countless, and is perhaps the most affordable medicine you can ever have. Studies have documented the positive benefits of having social ties on one’s physical well-being and longevity. It has been said that strong social ties in men resulted to 82% lower risk from heart disease compared to those socially isolated. It has even been a contributor to looking young, as people with good social relationships enjoy better health and improved cognitive functioning.
Nurturing friendships
Nurturing existing friendships and cultivating new ones are ways to not only increase enjoyment of life, but also to improve one’s health and “lifespan”. Preserving the good relationships you have built with friends and further caring for it will be your ticket to life’s meaningful days. On the other hand, cultivating new relationships with people will open up wonderful opportunities to redevelop the person in you. Make an effort to restore or create stronger ties with families, even those living across the country.
“As you sow, so shall you reap” –this can be a good saying that you can keep in mind when thinking about friendship. There’s never a bad time or a wrong place to find new friends or nurture old ones. Regardless of everything else that’s going on in your life, always find the time to reconnect and rekindle good relationships. Always remind yourself that for every ounce of friendship you give out, it’ll come back tenfold.
Most of all, never underestimate the healing power of friendship in your life. Smile and be thankful for wonderful friends you’ve found, and be open to building new relationships with people you meet.
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